Kaizer Chiefs chairman Kaizer Motaung has said that South African coaches need to work hard to improve their knowledge and pedigree‚ the way Bidvest Wits’ Gavin Hunt and Mamelodi Sundowns’ Pitso Mosimane have.

Motaung‚ as part of Chiefs’ 50th anniversary celebrations‚ was responding to questions sent into Chiefs’ website by club supporters.

On the question of why it is difficult for local coaches to succeed at Chiefs‚ the chairman responded: “It’s not only at Kaizer Chiefs but all the teams in the league.

“It’s not really difficult but it’s about knowledge. Some of our local coaches need to work harder in terms of acquiring knowledge.

“We’ve seen the work coaches such as Pitso Mosimane and Gavin Hunt have done to improve themselves. We need more of that sort of commitment from all our local coaches.”

Mosimane responded on Twitter that he was much flattered by Motaung’s comment.

He tweeted: “The ‘Kaizer’ seldom speaks‚ and it is important you don’t miss the message!

“I think I was 13/14 years old playing street football in Phefeni‚ Sentsho Street [where Chiefs’ first clubhouse was situated]. I would always stop him to chat in his Ford Mustang.”

Mosimane and Hunt are two of four coaches – the others are Gordon Igesund and the late Ted Dumitru – to have won four Premier League titles.

Motaung was also asked who the best player he ever signed was.

“It has to be the late ‘Ace’ Ntsoelengoe. He was a special player‚” he said of the 1970s and 1980s SA footballing great.

His best Chiefs goalkeeper?

“I can’t single out one but there are few who are unforgettable. I can think of Banks Setlhodi‚ Brian Baloyi‚ Itumeleng Khune right now and Peta Bala’c‚ who has never missed a game because of injury as far as I can remember. It’s difficult to pick one‚” the chairman said.

Chiefs were leading the Premiership by four points over second-placed Sundowns‚ who had a game in hand‚ when the league was suspended on March 16 due to the coronavirus.